10 Books Every Man Should Read

Today, I want to cover a topic that is near and dear to my heart – books. If you’ve followed Order of Man for any amount of time you know that I am an avid reader. I try to read between 40-50 books per year because I know how valuable new information is.

So today, I want to share with you 10 books every man should read by the end of the year. Now, let me put out this disclaimer – these are my non-fiction book recommendations. Without fail, whenever I give a book list, someone always says I don’t have any fiction books on the list. Correct, because, again, this is my non-fiction book list.

Before I get into the books, I do want to make you aware of an article a made available a couple months ago about speed reading. The tips I share in this article are the strategies I use to get through 40-50 books per year. So, if you’re interested in reading faster, head to www.orderofman.com/speedread.

Alright, that said, let’s dive into this. Now, these aren’t in any particular order. They’re in the order I pulled them off the shelf.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

This is a great read for anyone in the creative space. If you’re creating art whether that’s content on a podcast, blog, or social media outlet, or you’re an artist, or your offering services of some kind, you’ll want to dig into this book.

It’s a super quick read and Steven digs into the mental obstacles and hurdles that get in the way of our success. He refers to it as the resistance.

So, if you’ve ever bumped up against some barriers in your work, this book will show you how to overcome them.

Resilience by Eric Greitens

Eric Greitens is a retired Navy SEAL. The book is written in an interesting format. Essentially it’s correspondence between him and a SEAL brother who is struggling adapting to civilian life after time served in the SEALs.

Although I never personally experienced the struggle he talks about in the book after my time in the military, I know this is something a lot of veterans deal with after tours and deployments. But, the book isn’t just for veterans – it’s for anyone who has ever experienced hardship in their life and need some help in overcoming it.

Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday

This is the follow-up book to Ryan’s incredible book, The Obstacle is the Way. In it, Ryan teaches us why our egos are probably the single-biggest hindrance to our success and, more importantly, how we can remove, or at least reduce, our egos.

He shares with us how we have a tendency to be our own worst enemies and why the alternative to ego – humility – is a better approach to life.

If you’re interested, you can check out one of our highest downloaded podcast interviews with Ryan at www.orderofman.com/065.

Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

If you’ve listened to me for any amount of time, you know that I recommend this book as my favorite business, leadership, and self-development book.

I had an incredible interview with Jocko Willink, which you can find at www.orderofman.com/060 about the book.

The retired Navy SEAL Commander of Task Unit Bruiser, Jocko and Leif Babin extract the lessons they’ve learned from the battlefield in Ramadi, Iraq (coincidentally we had some overlap of deployments. They were getting to Ramadi as I was leaving).

If you pick one book from my list, this is the one to read. Both Jocko and Leif are going to help you stop making excuses and take full ownership for every element of your life.

The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone

If you’re not following Grant Cardone, you should be. This man is all about thinking big -10X big.

In this book, Grant talks with us why thinking big – bigger than you’ve ever thought before – is the key to massive success in your life. He teaches us it’s going to take bigger goals, bigger risks, more resources, more energy, and more time to create the life we want.

If you know you need to think bigger, this is the book for you.

The One Thing by Gary Keller

Gary Keller has created a real estate force to be reckoned with. And, in this book, he shares with us some strategies for focusing on the extremely important to help us accomplish big things in our lives.

I recommend this book all the time and I use the lessons every, single day in my daily and weekly planning which you can find at www.orderofman.com/battleplan

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Every single one of us knows creating and sticking to habits is the key to success. But, how many of us can say we actually do it – at least to the degree we should.

In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg shares with us the formula for creating any new habit in our lives and how we can actually reprogram our brains to stick with the new habits we want to implement.

Mansfield’s Book of Manly Men by Stephen Mansfield

This is a great book on what it means to be a man. In it, Mansfield breaks down what it actually means to be a man using four manly maxims he’s identified every man should be living by. He also breaks down some key virtues we all should be striving to live by.

If you’re interested in checking out my interview with Stephen Mansfield, you can find it at www.orderofman.com/038.

If you’ve ever struggled with the question of what it means to be a man, Stephen will answer it for you.

Relentless by Tim Grover

Guys, this is a no-nonsense, powerful book. Written by Tim Grover, trainer to the likes of Michael Jordan, Dwayne Wade, Charles Barkley, Kobe Bryant and more, Tim gets in your face about what it will take to help you succeed on a massive level in every area of your life.

I really enjoyed getting to peek inside the training regimen and requirements of some of the world’s best athletes. He also does a great job of sharing with the reader how those lessons transfer over into the lives of the everyday guy like you and me.

This book is not for the faint of heart or the easily offended.

The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod

For those of you who have listened to me for any amount of time, you know that I am a huge proponent of planning out your day. The bottom line is that, unless you plan out your day, you’re never going to succeed at the level you desire.

Hal Elrod, the author of The Miracle Morning breaks down the science of a perfect start to your day, how you can eliminate the things keeping you from starting the day off right, and how to make the most of every day.

I did interview Hal and, it is my single-highest downloaded episode to date so you’ll want to check it out at www.orderofman.com/070

So there you have it guys, my book recommendations for the remainder of 2016! The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, Resilience by Eric Greitens, Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday, Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone, The One Thing by Gary Keller, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, Mansfield’s Book of Manly Men by Stephen Mansfield, Relentless by Tim Grover, and The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod.

Make sure you buy these books, make sure you read these books, make sure you implement their teachings in your life because knowledge is only power when it’s applied.

Again, you can go to www.orderofman.com/FFN014 for links to the interviews I mentioned and access to the books so you can buy them yourselves.

Last thing, if you’re interested in exploring these concepts further, you need to consider joining The Iron Council. This is a group of men all working together to help each other succeed. Next week, we’re going to be implementing what I refer to as our Twelve-Week Battle Plan where we’re going to lay out our objectives over the next twelve weeks, identify the tactics to meet them, and hold each other accountable in success.

You can learn more at www.orderofman.com/ironcouncil. Hope to see you there!

The Definitive Guide to Podcasts for Men

It's no coincidence that the world's most successful men happen to be the most educated. I'm not necessarily suggesting that they know the most about everything but they certainly have learned a set of unique skills in a particular trade or craft that has allowed them to create a profitable and fulfilling life.

I believe the concept of continual education is so crucial to your success as a man that I have dedicated 1 of our 8 key skills sets to the idea of a lifetime of learning.

The information and education necessary to succeed was once reserved for only the wealthiest of men. Times have changed.

Reach into your pocket and pull out your phone. That little device is a window to more information that men even 100 years ago could not learn in their entire time on this planet. And, all you have to do is click a couple of buttons.

It's no longer a matter of IF the education is available. It's a matter of WILL you tap into it and HOW will you do it.

Sure, you could drive down to your local library and pick up a book, sit in the classroom of your college for hours on end, or attempt to acquire a personal mentor. While those sources of education have merit, many of us find it difficult to balance the hats we currently wear (fathers, husbands, business owners, charitable causes, coaches, spiritual leaders, etc).

Adding just one more hat (student) to the list seems like a daunting and overwhelming task.

Enter the world of Podcasting.

For those of us who have already tapped into this incredible tool of insight, information, and education, we already know the value it brings.

For those of you who have not, you'll soon see the power available at your fingertips. Think commercial free, on-demand radio on any topic you choose, from business and health to movie recaps and underwater basket-weaving, and just about any topic in between.

As beautiful as that may sound, if you're a newbie to the podcasting world, you may not have even heard of a podcast until now and you may not know where to start.

Here are 3 simple steps to unlocking unlimited sources of information--all in the palm of your hand:

Step 1: Download a Platform (skip this step if you already have iTunes or Stitcher Radio)

In order to access the wealth of information available through the power of podcasting, you'll have to download a platform to listen in. Apple and Android have made this extremely convenient through applications (apps) you can download to your mobile or desktop device.

Apple Devices

If you use an Apple device, the podcasting app comes pre-installed. You'll find it by clicking on the icon that looks like the one below on your iPhone or iPad.

podcast-app

 

 

 

 

 

Android Devices

If you have an Android device and would like to listen to your podcasts on your or phone, you'll need to download Stitcher Radio which you can by clicking on the image below:

Stitcher Radio

Macs and PCs

In order to listen to podcasts on your computer, you'll need to download iTunes to your computer (pre-installed on Macs). You can do that by clicking on the icon below:

iTunes

Step 2: Search for Content

Both iTunes and Stitcher Radio are considered search engines. In fact, iTunes is one of the largest search engines in the world.

Again, you will have unlimited information in the palm of your hand. The challenge you may run into is where to start. You literally have thousands of podcast to choose from. And, with that many choices, it's easy to get into "paralysis by analysis," get frustrated, and give up.

It's a lot like having access to 1000 TV stations. You really end up only using a handful of them.

So, which podcasts do you tune into? That's up to you. But, below, you'll find some of the best podcasts in the world for men's interests including finance, fitness and nutrition, self-development, leadership, educational, and entertainment.

You don't have to download them all. Pick and choose what appeals to you but this will get you started on your podcasting journey.

Men's Interest Podcasts

Order of Man

Okay, so maybe I'm a bit biased to include my own podcast on this list. But, if I didn't think my podcast, Order of Man, was among the best sources of information for men, would I really be doing it?

My goal is to help motivated and ambitious men become better in every area of their lives. We have weekly conversations with the best men the world has to offer covering 8 Key Skill Sets Every Man Must Master: Fitness, Intellect, Leadership, Manly Know-How, Relationships, Self-Mastery, Style, and Wealth.

Listen to the Order of Man Podcast here!


Jocko Podcast

Jocko Willink: Retired Navy SEAL, New York Times Best-Selling Author, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Expert

Need I say more?

In his new podcast, Jocko Willink and Echo Charles team up to share their insights on discipline, leadership, business, relationships and more.

Combined with his military experience, including Commander of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser in Ramadi (same region I served in 2005-2006) and his passion for helping men eliminate excuses and step up as leaders, this podcast is sure to fire you up and help you take ownership of your life.

It's jam-packed with insightful commentary on past and current global conflicts, manly virtues, and book reviews. Subscribe to it now and read his New York Times Best-Selling Book, Extreme Ownership.

Listen to The Jocko Podcast here!


art-of-manlinessIf you aren't familiar with The Art of Manliness podcast and you're a man, I only have one question for you. Where have you been?

The Art of Manliness podcast features discussions on topics and issues important to men.

In addition to the traditional podcast guests, Brett McKay features many best-selling authors on the topics of manly skills, military history, and practical wisdom.

You can also check out my interview with Brett McKay on "Perfecting the Art of Manliness."

Listen to The Art of Manliness Podcast here!


Keep Hammering

If you're not listening to Keep Hammering, and following Cameron Hanes, you should be. This guy is the ultimate pillar of dedication and discipline.

He's got some great podcasts including several interviews with Joe Rogan (who I highlight later in this article).

And, if that's not enough for you to tune in check out his show description: "I am a bowhunting athlete, training intensively each and every day to become the Ultimate Predator." - Cameron Hanes

Listen to Keep Hammering Here!


Knowledge for Men

It's no surprise that the world's most successful men happen to be the most knowledgeable.

Enter Knowledge for Men where the world's most successful leaders share their incredible stories and life lessons to help you get the life you want in the areas of health, wealth, relationships and personal growth.

You'll walk away with a ton of actionable tips and insights designed to propel you forward and help you become the man you want to become.

Listen to Knowledge for Men here!


Legendary Life

Ted Ryce with Legendary Life is a Personal Trainer, Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker and Wellness Coach and he's worked with celebrities like Richard Branson and Robert Downey Jr.

So, when a man like this--someone with real experience--decides to host a podcast, you listen.

Topics covered in the Legendary Life Podcast include strength training, nutrition, hormones, public speaking, confidence, networking, dating and relationships, sex and more.

Listen to Legendary Life Here!


Self Made Man

Founded by the extremely successful serial entrepreneur, Mike Dillard, Self Made Man is a show designed for men who want to achieve greatness, leave their mark on the world, and create a legacy of honor, integrity, and achievement in every aspect of their lives.

The Self Made Man Podcast is just getting started but they have managed to bring on an incredible lineup of guests who can help you build a life of excellence in business, relationships, health, finance, and legacy.

Listen to the Self Made Man Podcast here!


 

Team Never Quit

Team Never Quit is hosted by two Navy SEALs, Marcus Luttrell David Rutherford, who’ve known each other for years and shares their amazing life experiences in a humorous, heartfelt and entertaining way. These two Frogmen have been motivating millions of people around the world with their unique styles of motivational speaking, writing and coaching.

Marcus and David are committed to their mission of helping people face their greatest challenges in order to learn the Never Quit mindset.

Listen to Team Never Quit Here!


The Good Dad Project

Let's face it, being a dad is tough work. I have three children of my own (and one on the way) and I have yet to master the art of fatherhood.

Larry Hagner, founder of the Good Dad Project, and Shawn Stevenson break down common challenges of fatherhood and make them easy to understand and overcome. Tackling the world of fatherhood can be a daunting task when we try to do it alone.

The mission of The Good Dad Project is to help you become the best, strongest, and happiest version of yourself so that you can help guide your kids to the best version of themselves.

Listen to The Good Dad Project here!


The New Man

How has masculinity changed over the years? It's hard to define but we all know it has.

The New Man strives to take you beyond the Macho Jerk and the New Age Wimp so often portrayed in the media.

Tripp Lanier covers the topics guys are hungry to explore but typically only discuss after a few beers. Each podcast consists of real world, practical advice so guys can rise above mediocrity and live a life of purpose and meaning.

Topics include relationships, sex, dating, career, money, power, overcoming fear, fitness, inner game, lifestyle design, and spirituality.

Listen to The New Man here!


The Stephen Mansfield Podcast

Stephen Mansfield's podcast will get you thinking.

He covers a broad array of current events from the date-rape culture we're currently facing to commentary on the political climate we find ourselves in.

Stephen Mansfield is a New York Times bestselling author of many books including The Faith of George W. Bush, The Search for God and Guinness, Lincoln's Battle With God, Mansfield's Book of Manly Men (a must-read for every man), and The Miracle of the Kurds.

Listen to The Stephen Mansfield Podcast here!


Unbeatable Mind Podcast

Retired Navy SEAL Commander, Mark Divine. What more do I need to say?

Mark Divine, the founder of SEALfit and host of The Unbeatable Mind Podcast takes you along his 5 mountain training path of developing your mental, physical, emotional, intuitive, and Kokoro (Heart) self.

I've enjoyed listening to Mark's real-life practical advice so much that I ask him to be a guest on our show which you can find here.

He shared the power of silence, meditation, and the mind.

Listen to The Unbeatable Mind Podcast here!

Wealth Building Podcasts

Good Financial Cents

The thing I like most about Good Financial Cents is that Jeff Rose is a Certified Financial Planner with over 10 years of real world financial planning experience. He is also a best-selling author and Iraqi Combat Veteran.

He has successfully launched several money movements including The Money Uprising Movement and The Roth IRA Movement.

Each week Jeff strives to give people the tools and resources they need to achieve financial freedom in their lives.

Listen to The Good Financial Cents Podcast here!


Listen Money Matters

This show is honest, uncensored and is not your father’s boring finance show.

Each week, Listen Money Matters brings much needed ACTIONABLE advice to a generation that hates being lectured about personal finance from the out-of-touch one percent.

Andrew and Thomas are relatable, funny, and brash. Their down-to-earth discussions about money are entertaining whether you’re a financial whiz or just starting out.

Listen to Listen Money Matters Here!


Radical Personal Finance

Joshua Sheats reveals all of his best ideas for personal financial planning, saving money, and achieving financial independence.

In Radical Personal Finance you'll discover how you can lower your tax bill, cut your expenses without sacrificing your lifestyle, and significantly increase your time and freedom to live the life you love through a greater knowledge and understanding of all aspects of personal finance and money management.

From the basic, foundational ideas and knowledge to the advanced and highly technical, you will learn how to win with money.

Listen to Radical Personal Finance here!


 


Stacking Benjamins
stacking-benjamins shares a quirky mix of "A-List" guests including David Bach, Jean Chatzky, Sharon Lechter and Ric Edelman.

You'll find insights and round-table discussions on current financial trends, statistics and techniques you've not yet discovered.

And, the hosts of Stacking Benjamins, Joe & OG, are joined weekly by award-winning top financial writers and bloggers.

Listen to Stacking Benjamins Podcast here!


Well Kept Wallet

The Well Kept Wallet Podcast with Deacon Hayes is all about getting you from where you are to where you want to be when it comes to your career, money and lifestyle.

In this podcast, Deacon will interview people from all different types of careers who love what they do for a living. The goal is to help you in your search to find a job that you love.

You'll learn tips on how to achieve your goals in life when it comes to your career, money and lifestyle.

Listen to Well Kept Wallet here!


Fitness & Nutrition Podcasts

Barbell Shrugged

Barbell Shrugged, the #1 rated fitness and nutrition podcast, provides training programs for athletes and education for strength and conditioning coaches.

You'll find a new episode every Wednesday packed with actionable fitness and nutrition takeaways.

You'll also have the opportunity to join the Barbell Shrugged crew in conversations about fitness, training, and frequent interviews w/ CrossFit Games athletes!

Listen to Barbell Shrugged Podcast here!


Ben Greenfield Fitness

Free exercise, nutrition, weight loss, triathlon and wellness advice is what you'll find on Ben Greenfield Fitness.

Tune in to the latest health, fitness and multi-sport research, non run-of-the-mill interviews with exercise and medicine professionals, and new cutting-edge content from the top personal trainer and wellness coach in the nation.

This podcast includes fitness, nutrition, health, diet, wellness, workout, exercise, triathlon, Ironman, swimming, cycling, running, weight lifting, bodybuilding, Crossfit, Paleo, vegan, vegetarian, muscle gain and fat loss advice from America's top personal trainer.

Listen to Ben Greenfield Fitness here!


Fat Burning Man

Abel James with Fat-Burning Man answers your fitness and nutrition questions and interviews leaders in alternative health, Paleo, and natural wellness.

You'll learn the most successful secrets about losing fat, building muscle, and upgrading your health.

Fat Burning man is the winner of 4 awards podcast awards and is ranked #1 in Health in 8+ countries.

Listen to Fat-Burning Man here!


Rich Roll Podcast

The goal of the Rich Roll Podcast is to unlock your best self!

Rich Roll, ultra-athlete and author of two #1 bestsellers delves deep into all things wellness with some of the brightest and most forward thinking, paradigm busting minds in health, fitness, nutrition, creativity, entrepreneurship & spirituality.

Topics include general health, food policy & politics, fitness, environmentalism and sustainable lifestyle practices, meditation, yoga, mindfulness, and spirituality.

Rich's goal is simple: to educate, inspire and empower YOU to discover, unlock & unleash your best, most authentic self.

Listen to The Rich Roll Podcast here!


Spartan Up

Joe Desena, founder & CEO of Spartan Race and NY Times best-selling author, travels the globe seeking and answers from experts like Sir Richard Branson, Steve Pressfield, Tim Ferris and many more on the Spartan Up Podcast.

Joe’s interviews with authors, academics, athletes, adventurers, CEOs and thought leaders will shift your thinking, make you laugh and and give you the tools you need to succeed.

He’s on a mission to find the secrets to success in all aspects of life.

Listen to the Spartan Up Podcast here!


The Model Health Show

The Model Health Show is a fun, entertaining, and enlightening look at health and fitness.

World-renown author and nutritionist Shawn Stevenson breaks down complex health issues and makes them easy to understand and overcome.

Whether it's weight loss, chronic fatigue, heart disease, diet, exercise, sex, hormones, sleep problems, or countless other health topics, the insights you get here will help you transform your health and live your best life ever.

Listen to The Model Health Show here!

Self-Development Podcasts

Steal the Show

Whether it's a Speech, job interview, or deal-closing pitch, do you know the best way to handle yourself in the spotlight?

Steal the Show offers a fast track to the skill-set that will enable you to engage your listeners, manage your nerves, and give your message maximum impact in every situation, every time.

Michael Port, a New York Times bestselling author of 6 books, a top-rated corporate speaker, and former professional actor shares insights and strategies that will help you succeed in any presentation.

Listen to Steal the Show here!


Learning Leader

Leaders are learners.

The best leaders never stop working to make themselves better. That’s why the Learning Leader Show exists, to get together and understand the journeys of successful leaders, so that we can better understand our own.

This show is full of personal stories of successes, failures, and lessons learned along the way. Guests include best-selling authors, entrepreneurs, athletes, and entertainers.

You can hear my conversation with Ryan Hawk, host of The Learning Leader Show here.

Listen to The Learning Leader Show here!


The MFCEO Project

This is not your traditional educational podcast. The MFCEO Project is for anyone who is sick of the status quo of  pursuing goals and profiting in business.

In this podcast, Andy Frisella and his guests share insights on success and failure, in straight up fashion.

Andy is motivated by a desire to help people to succeed in business and life, “to get them moving in the right direction to achieve their business and personal goals, whatever they may be.”

Listen to The MFCEO Project here!


This is Your Life

This Is Your Life with New York Times best-selling author, Michael Hyatt, is a weekly podcast dedicated to intentional leadership.

The goal is to help you live with more passion, work with greater focus, and lead with extraordinary influence.

Each week Michael discusses how you can be a better leader in your community, in your home, and in your life.

Listen to This is Your Life Here!

Entertainment Podcasts

Serial

Serial is a podcast from the creators of This American Life, hosted by Sarah Koenig.

One of the most download and fastest growing podcast in existence, Serial unfolds one true story over the course of a whole season. The show follows the plot and characters wherever they lead, through many surprising twists and turns. Sarah won't know what happens at the end of the story until she gets there, not long before you get there with her.

Each week she'll bring you the latest chapter, so it's important to listen in, starting with Episode 1.

Listen to Serial here!


The Cracked Podcast

The Cracked Podcast is a hilarious extension of the editorial team's discussions that shape the brilliant articles and sketches on Cracked.

Cohosts Jack O'Brien and Michael Swaim, along with an impressive roster of guests, use the platform to identify and dissect pop culture tropes and debunk commonly held myths.

You'll enjoy the mix of humor, satire, and wit as the Cracked podcast team share insights into some of the oddest inventions, political climates, and cultural events.

Listen to The Crack Podcast here!


The Joe Rogan Experience

The Joe Rogan Experience is a long form conversation hosted by comedian, UFC color commentator, and actor Joe Rogan.

Joe Rogan's friends and guests have included comedians, actors, musicians, MMA instructors and commentators, authors, artists, and porn stars. With the broad diversity of guests, you're bound to learn something new.

An extremely successful podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience was voted the Best Comedy Podcast of 2012 on iTunes.

Listen to The Joe Rogan Experience here!


The Nerdist

The Nerdist Podcast is basically Chris Hardwick talking about stuff and things with his two nerdy friends Jonah Ray and Matt Mira.

They cover a broad array of topics including books, comedy, comics, films, food, and games.

If you're interested in learning about nothing and everything all in the same episode, then this is the podcast for you!

Listen to The Nerdist Podcast here!


WTF with Marc Maron

Comedian Marc Maron is tackling the most complex philosophical question of our day- WTF? He'll get to the bottom of it with help from comedian friends, celebrity guests and the voices in his own head.

Among the most popular podcast today, Marc Maron has interviewed many notable guests, most recently President Barack Obama. Regardless of what you think of Obama's politics, landing the leader of the free world as a guest on your show speaks volumes about the credibility of this show.

Listen to WTF here!

Educational Podcasts

American Military History

The American Military History Podcast is dedicated to telling the story of American history through the eyes of it's military men and women.

Starting with the Revolutionary War they'll cover military engagements through present day, as well as taking a few stops along the way to learn about the history of each of the branches of the American Military (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force.

An added bonus: Any donations made to this podcast will be shared with the Wounded Warrior Project.

Listen to The American Military History Podcast here!


Freakonomics Radio

Listen to Freakonomics Radio and have fun discovering the hidden side of everything with host Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the best-selling "Freakonomics” books.

Each week, hear surprising conversations that explore the riddles of everyday life and the weird wrinkles of human nature, from cheating and crime to parenting and sports.

Dubner talks with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, social scientists and entrepreneurs.

After just a few episodes, this podcast will have you too thinking like a Freak.

Listen to Freakonomics Radio here!


Stuff You Should Know

Impress your friends with your knowledge of the manliest of skills and information to the most completely useless facts known to man.

In every episode of Stuff You Should Know you'll learn something new such as "How do landfills work" and  "How do mosquitos work."

Join Josh and Chuck as they explore the Stuff You Should Know about everything from genes to the Galapagos in this podcast.

Listen to Stuff You Should Know here!


The James Altutcher Show

James Altucher is a successful entrepreneur, investor, board member, and the writer of 11 books including the recent WSJ Bestseller, "Choose Yourself!" He has started and sold several companies for eight figure exits. He's on the board of a billion revenue company, has written for The Financial Times, The New York Observer, and over a dozen popular websites for the past 15 years. He's run several hedge funds, venture capital funds, and is a successful angel investor in technology, energy, and biotech.

In this podcast, you'll learn how he did it and gain new insights into his mind and some of the most pressing cultural events we are dealing with today.

Listen to The James Altutcher Show here!

Entrepreneurial Podcasts

Entrepreneur of FireEntrepreneur On Fire is a podcast created for Serial Entrepreneurs, Side-Preneurs, or Small Business Owners.

If you are looking for inspiration, motivation, and ACTIONABLE advice during your daily commute, workout, or "me" time, John Lee Dumas delivers 7-days a week. Each episode brings you a successful Entrepreneur who shares their journey, their failures, AH-HA moments, successes, and much more.

Each episode ends with THE LIGHTNING ROUND where John extracts priceless resources and action steps for you.

Listen to Entrepreneur on Fire here!


Outlier on Air

Are you an Outlier?

Join Ever Gonzalez 5 days a week as he interviews founders, disruptors and mavens who are breaking the status quo and changing the world!

Listen in as these entreprenerial leaders share a behind-the-scenes view of their personal journey to success and insights into what has worked and what hasn't.

Be part of a one-on-one mentoring session where we discuss specific business strategies.

Listen to Outlier on Air here!


ProBloggerThe ProBlogger Podcast is designed to help you build a better blog.

With a mix of teaching, case studies and actionable challenges, Darren Rowse will teach you to create compelling content, find readers for your blog, deepen the engagement you have with those readers and to make money through a variety of income streams so that you can sustain your blogging.

Darren has been been blogging since 2002 and making a full time living from his blogs for over a decade. If you’re looking to take your blogs to the next level and make money online, this is the podcast for you.

Listen to ProBlogger here!


School of GreatnessThe goal of the School of Greatness Podcast is designed to share inspiring stories from the most brilliant business minds, world class athletes and influential celebrities on the planet

Each week Lewis Howes, author, athlete, and keynote speaker, has conversations with successful men and women all over the world to help you find out what makes great people great.

Lewis is a great interviewer and is able to get more actionable information from his guests than the best interviewers around.

Listen to The School of Greatness here!


Smart Passive IncomePat Flynn from The Smart Passive Income Blog reveals all of his online business and blogging strategies, income sources and killer marketing tips and tricks so you can be ahead of the curve with your online business or blog.

Discover how you can create multiple passive income streams that work for you so that you can have the time and freedom to do what you love, whether it's traveling the world, or just living comfortably at home.

You'll learn about automation, outsourcing, search engine optimization, building authority and trust, social media, podcasting, everything that works (and doesn't work) to help you better understand how to crush it with your online business.

Listen to Smart Passive Income here!


The SMART Business RevolutionNamed one of the "Top 10 Podcasts for Entrepreneurs to Learn Personal Finance From" by Inc. Magazine and "Top 100 Small Business Podcasts 2014" by Small Biz Trends, The Smart Business Revolution Podcast is a must-listen.

Former Clinton White House Writer John Corcoran shows you how to build relationships intelligently to get more clients, grow your income and advance your career.

You'll discover how you can use win-win networking and intentional relationship-building with Influencers and VIPs, even if you "hate networking" or feel like you have "nothing to offer" people who are successful.

Listen to The SMART Business Revolution here!


The Time Ferriss ShowTim Ferriss is a self-experimenter and bestselling author, best known for The 4-Hour Workweek.

Newsweek calls him "the world's best human guinea pig," and The New York Times calls him "a cross between Jack Welch and a Buddhist monk."

In this show, he deconstructs world-class performers from eclectic areas (investing, chess, pro sports, etc.), digging deep to find the tools, tactics, and tricks that listeners can use.

Listen to The Tim Ferriss Show here!

Step 3: The Follow-Through

Needless to say that is a pretty in-depth list of the podcasts I would recommend you listen to. If that doesn't get you started, I don't know what will.

At this point, you may be asking yourself, "where do I go from here?" I'm glad you asked.

You'll now want to begin customizing your "playlist" of podcasts to listen to. Here are 3 additional steps you'll want to implement in order to make this a successful experience of learning.

  1. Search for new content: New podcast are being released each and every day and some experienced podcasts are being sent to the graveyard. Both iTunes and Stitcher make it easy to find new content. You'll want to continue to explore and customize your learning experience. Remember iTunes and Stitcher Radio are search engines so use keywords in the search feature you're interested in.
  2. Subscribe to great shows and ditch the rest: You'll have the option to subscribe to the shows you really enjoy in both apps. If you stumble across a show you really like, subscribing will ensure you never miss an episode. The subscription option allows a new show to be automatically downloaded to your "feed."
  3. Rate and Review the shows you love: A lot of you will have a desire to help the hosts of your favorite shows and what better way than to leave your rating and review. I can tell you, as a podcast host myself, that a honest and sincere rating and review goes a long way in reminding me why I started the podcast in the first place. Not only will you feel great about leaving your thanks but your ratings and reviews help that particular show gain more visibility for others to find. (I'd be honored if you'd leave a rating and review for our show, Order of Man, which you can do here.

There you have it guys! Three easy steps for listening to podcasts. The best way to learn is to get in there, dig around, and explore. Once you do, you'll soon see how easy it is to tap into the power of the world's most successful, entertaining, and gifted people on the planet.

We've all heard there is power in a mentor. I believe that is true and have several personal mentors in my life. However, it would literally costs you thousands if not hundreds-of-thousands of dollars to access the minds of those who host and are interviewed through this incredible medium of learning.

Happy listening!

Fixing Your Marriage by Fixing Yourself

There are a lot of men who want to fix their marriages. While it sounds counterintuitive, the best way to fix your marriage is to fix yourself. Because, when you improve who you are as a man and how you're showing up as a husband, you're naturally going to produce a better marriage. Sure, a strong marriage is the result of the things that both you and your wife are doing but there's nothing you can do about her. That's why it's best to focus on the one thing you can control - yourself.

This message today is catered to any man who might be going through a rocky situation in their marriage, a separation, or even a divorce. If you're not in that situation or you're single, I'd encourage you to read this as well as the discussion we have is going to help you in your marriage when that time comes.

Look, marriage is tough. Anybody who's been married for any amount of time understands how challenging marriage can be. When two people together who have different cultures, ideas, backgrounds, and beliefs, it's challenging, to say the least.

The more that you go to work on yourself, the stronger that your marriage is going to be. There's a trap (and, it's the very same trap that I fell into when I got married) that the very first thing to go when getting married is removing all the things that helped me become a better man. And, I did that because I wanted to spend time with my wife. I wanted to be around her. I wanted to be connected to her. I let go of all of my friends, my hobbies, and the things that lifted me up and, instead, focused all of my time, energy, attention, and resources on her. That isn't necessarily bad in and of itself but it came at the expense of my own wellbeing. Any man who's listening to this, who's gone through challenges in his marriage, understands exactly what I'm talking about.

So, if you're single or you're just getting married, please heed my word of caution. Do not let yourself go. Continue to take care of yourself. Continue to find ways to edify, uplift, energize, and recharge yourself, because, when you do, you can come back into a marriage more successful and engaged.

Today I want to talk to you about my own separation from my wife which was nearly 10 years ago. I want to share that insight with you because I think there are some important things that need to be discussed and some similar situations that you might be experiencing in your own life or will at some point. From there, I'll share seven different strategies here that are going to help you go to work on yourself so that you can come back to the relationship more engaged, energized, and recharged.

MY SEPARATION

Roughly 10 years ago, my wife and I got into an argument one evening. We had been married for four years at the time. I cannot, for the life of me, remember what that argument was about. It doesn't matter. I'm sure that it was insignificant, that whatever it was we were arguing about was petty and just not worth arguing about. But all of the years of frustration, bitterness, animosity, and contention had led up to this argument. I remember saying to her, "I don't even want to be married anymore." And, when I said that, she said the same thing back.

Now, the next morning, I left. I went to northern Utah for some training in my business. I got about an hour on the road and I thought to myself, "Man, what are you doing? Your marriage is falling apart. Your wife's going to leave you with your six-month-old son. And, the business isn't particularly doing all that well, either. So, why are you going up for this training when everything else is falling apart around you?"

So, I turned around and came back home. She was still there. I told her that I didn't want her to leave and that I wanted her to stick around and see what we could do to work it out. I loved this woman. But by then it was too little, too late. She decided that she wasn't interested in that and left. She went and moved in with her parents.

For the longest time, there was anger, frustration, and resentment. How could she do this to me? Why was she being disloyal? Why didn't she love? Why didn't she appreciate me and all the things I was doing for the family? How could she take my son away? I blamed everything on her.

Now, when I talk about this, a lot of guys will say. "Well yeah, she had something to do with it." That's absolutely right. And, she would be the first to tell you that she had something to do with the demise of our relationship as well. But that really doesn't matter because I realized I needed to work on myself.

Around this time, I came to the conclusion that my marriage might be over. Up until that point, I thought that we could work it out. Everybody said. "Give up Ryan. It's over. Move on. It's over." But in my heart and soul, I knew I didn't want to do that without giving it every effort to work.

This was the very first time that I actually thought. "Maybe these people are right. Maybe this marriage is over." As difficult as that was for me to wrestle with and as challenging as that was for me to think about, it was the single greatest moment, in my life for positive change. That moment has literally, over the past decade, transformed the landscape of our marriage, transformed the landscape of my fitness and my business, and transformed every single area of my life. The revelation that I had at that moment was that, although the marriage might be over, I'm going to accept responsibility for the one thing that I have control over. And it wasn't the marriage and, it wasn't her. It was me.

Up until that point, I thought, "If only I can get her to change. If only I can get her to do X, Y, and Z. If only she would see the errors of her ways. Then our marriage would work out. Then everything would be fine."

The problem was, I was trying to manipulate, coerce, strong-arm, and do everything that I possibly could to "win her back." At this specific moment in my life, as I was sitting in my truck thinking that the marriage was over, I decided, for the first time, potentially, in my life that I would just go to work on myself - that if the marriage was over, I was going to be the greatest catch for the next woman to come into my life. And that's exactly what I did. I went to work on myself.

I'm going to share some specific strategies here with you in a minute. But as I went to work on myself, she responded to that. It was as if I flipped a light switch on the wall with her. She saw that I was serious. She saw that I was doing different things. She saw that I was doing the work to become a better man, a better father, and a better husband. We call this 'influence'. We cannot control and manipulate what other people do and think but we can influence them. We influence others by becoming more influential.

Now, about this time here's where everybody says. "Oh Ryan, you're a beta. Or you just succumbed to her wishes." Guys, that's not what this is about. As I went to work on myself, I built confidence in myself. I began to take care of myself. I began to respect and appreciate and even love who I was becoming. That's what she resonated with. As I continued to go on this journey of self-discovery and self-improvement, we started to date again. There was a new energy, enthusiasm, and excitement in our relationship that had not been there for years. For the first time in four years, I was more capable of bringing something to the relationship.

What a lot of men will do is drain all of their wife's energy from them. They'll ask their wife to provide both the feminine and masculine energy. They'll ask them to be the supporter: emotionally, mentally, and physically. When a wife uses up all of her energy and your energy is now depleted, there's nothing new coming into the relationship. The way you know that this is the problem, is your wife says. "There's no spark. There's no fire. There's no love. I'm not in love with you anymore." That makes sense. You drained her energy from her because you weren't creating and providing your own energy. That's the trap that I fell into. That's the trap I was talking about earlier. The trap where you're no longer energizing, uplifting, and edifying yourself. So, you ask her to do it. Any human being can only do that so long before they are completely burnt out.

So, as I said before, we started to date again. I was in Salt Lake City for some training in my business and I got a call from my wife. She said, "Ryan, I want to come back home." That was roughly 10 years ago. Now our marriage isn't perfect. We have our ups and downs, we have our challenges, and we argue from time to time. She's stubborn, I'm stubborn. We're both set in our ways. We both have certain ways of doing things. There are challenges. But we're better equipped because she knows how to take care of herself and I know how to take care of myself. I'm strong without her. She is strong without me. And because we're both strong independently, we're stronger together.

If she had to rely on me or I had to rely on her for everything within the marriage that would pose a huge problem, as it did. In the next couple of days, as of the release of this article, we will celebrate our 14 year wedding anniversary. We've got four kids and life is good. Of course, it has its ups and downs and challenges but it's never been better because, I've learned what I'm going to share with you here shortly. I learned to take care of myself. I learned to build trust, credibility, and confidence in who I am. She sees that. She recognizes that and we're strong because of that.

Now, I do have to say this, and this is the uncomfortable truth: You could do everything I talk about today. You could completely go to work on yourself. You could change who you are completely and become a new man entirely, and the marriage still may not work out.

I hope that doesn't happen. I hope that your relationship continues. I hope that it stays intact for decades and decades. But the reality is, it doesn't always work out. But I will say this: it's never a bad idea to work on yourself. The more that you work on yourself, the more that the situation and circumstances around you have a way of taking care of themselves, whether it's with your wife or potentially, a new partner down the road. Take care of yourself. Focus on yourself. Implement the seven strategies that I'm going to talk with you about today and things do have a way of working themselves out.

TIME AND ATTENTION

If you're going through a divorce or a separation, the first thing you have to understand is that you've got to give yourself time and attention. Give yourself the time and the space to heal, mend, and go to work on yourself. Focus your attention elsewhere, not on her.

A lot of men look at a separation as a negative time. And it certainly is. Let's not beat around the bush. It's dark. If you've been there, you know exactly what I'm talking about. But you have an opportunity. It's an opportunity for you to go to work on yourself. Take this time to work on yourself, to improve yourself, to enhance yourself. Look at it as an opportunity to redefine who you are and how you're showing up.

EXPOSE YOURSELF TO NEW INFORMATION

You are a product of the thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and actions you take. The reason that your marriage isn't working out the way that you want it to is because there are certain inputs that you have in your brain that are causing you to produce certain outputs. In this case, an unhealthy relationship. The only way to improve your situation is to change the information that you're putting into the six inches between your ears.

When I went through my separation, I began to read books and listen to CDs  on self-help, how to communicate, how to grow a business, etc. I was reading all kinds of books.

Put new information into your brain. That is the only way to create new results. New information in, new results out. If you continue to do it the same way over and over again, you are going to produce the same results you always have. Or you think that maybe I'll just do more of the same thing or the same thing even harder than I did before, you're going to produce the negative results that much quicker. It's not going to improve the results, it's going to exponentially increase the damaging effects of whatever has been produced in your life up to this point.

BUILD A BAND OF BROTHERS

Having a band of brothers is critical for married men. I see a lot of guys who, when they get married and into a relationship, leave their buddies. They spend time exclusively with their girlfriend, fiancee or wife. You have got to build a band of brothers. You've got to do it now. You've got to find men to spend time with on a consistent and regular basis. If you're not doing that, you are not energizing yourself. A strong band of brothers is going to give you much-needed accountability, comradery, brotherhood, laughs, activities, enjoyment, and energy you need to then go into another relationship and be successful.

As I went through my separation with my wife, I had realized that I had forsaken all of my friends. I was alone. Nobody was around, not because they weren't willing to do it but because I had forsaken them long ago. I found myself alone every night without anything to do. So, what did I do? I thought about her and I thought about my son. It became a destructive loop I fell prey to.

You have to build a band of brothers. If you're not going through a separation or divorce or there are no rocky challenges in your marriage right now, you still need to build a band of brothers because there might be some challenges at some point. But even outside of that, it's always good to have good friends who you can rely on for support. They will support you. You will uplift them. They will uplift you. Give yourself some regular space every single week to spend time with the band of brothers.

GET YOUR FITNESS IN CHECK

When I went through my separation with my wife, I was 50 pounds heavier then I weigh today. You have to get yourself in shape. Yes, there are obvious physical benefits that come from being in shape but, also, everything that's required to get into shape - discipline, dedication, commitment, consistency, sacrifice - are the same set of skills that are required for success in any other facet of life. There are mental benefits of being in shape too: clarity, focus, drive, and determination. All of those things will help you be a better man.

I have a lot of people who ask about how to build confidence. The way that you build confidence is by doing the things that are going to build confidence. Part of that is getting into the gym. And, the more confidence you have, the more people (including your wife) will naturally be attracted to you.

FIND A HOBBY

You have to find something that you enjoy participating in. I, for example, do woodworking. I've got a shop out in the backyard so I'll go out there for an hour or two and just do some woodworking. Another hobby I enjoy is bow hunting. I just picked up bow hunting last year and I've been on a couple of successful hunts. Archery has been a hobby that I really enjoy and it gives me focus and clarity needed to reenergize myself. Also, I just started running. That's been advantageous and helpful for me. I also do a little bit of hatchet throwing. I go outside with just my hatchet and the board and work on form.

Have these types of hobbies has really been a good outlet for me as things get challenging in my marriage and the stress of work. I also have friends who do all of these things as well. So, I can go spend time with my band of brothers while I'm engaging in my hobbies. If you don't have a hobby and engaging hobby yet, try everything. Explore broadly. If you have considered playing the guitar, play the guitar. If you want to start painting, learn to paint. If you want to create a podcast, do that. If you want to throw hatchets or start bow hunting, do it.  The barrier to entry for any of these hobbies is so low that you can take part in any hobby in a matter of just a few hours if you decide that you want to do it.

GET YOUR FINANCIAL HOUSE IN ORDER

I'm a financial advisor by trade. I've been in the business for just over 10 years. And, I can tell you that money is a leading cause of anxiety, stress, arguments, and divorce inside of a marriage. A lot of it comes down to communication. But, look, if you can get your financial house in order, you are going to be that much better off because you're not stressed about.

I've been there. I've been in situations where I did not know how I was going to make the mortgage payment. Those situations did absolutely nothing to help my relationship. All they did was compound the problem because I was stressed. And, I was taking that stress out on her. We didn't know how we were going to make the mortgage. We had a small son at the time. It was a real challenge. So, get your debt paid off. Learn a new skill in order to secure a promotion at work. Get a new job. You've got time to start a business on the side. Make a little extra money. Get that debt paid down. Invest. Learn. Read a book about investing, budgeting, and how to pay off debt. This is going to serve you well and reduce the level of stress you have on your life and your marriage as well.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

If you've been married for 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 years, you're probably at a point where you just haven't challenged yourself. You've made the excuse that you don't have the time or the energy, or you've got this obligation and that obligation. I'm telling, the more you can challenge yourself and the more you can push yourself outside of your comfort zone, the more confidence that you're going to be in yourself. You're going to have more success because you're developing the skillset, virtues, and confidence in order to succeed in other areas of life. If you're not challenging yourself physically, mentally, intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, then you are doing yourself a huge disservice.

If you want to fix yourself and in turn, fix your marriage. You've gotta find a way to continue to push. It's so easy to fall into default mode, to be complacent and mediocre in life. That mediocrity will produce the exact same results that you're enjoying, or not enjoying, right now. Push yourself. Challenge yourself. Do something that scares you. Get outside of your comfort zone and see if that doesn't help you build confidence in yourself.

I know this is not an exhaustive list. I know I could go on and on about all of the things you should do. But if you take these 7 suggestions to heart, you will fix yourself.

And, again, I'm not here to tell you that if you fix yourself that your marriage will magically be fixed. The unfortunate reality is that maybe it's too late. Or, maybe your marriage is beyond repair. But I will tell you that the likelihood of you salvaging your damaged marriage is significantly higher if you stop focusing on her so much by trying to manipulate her, coerce her, get her to change, and win her over. Instead, turn all of that attention, time, and energy around and focus it on yourself. Engage yourself. Engage your body. Engage your mind. The more you do this, the more likely it is that you'll be able to salvage your marriage.

And if you don't, like I said, 10 years ago, "You will be the absolute best catch for the next woman to come into your life." And, there will be a next woman, if you learn to take care of yourself.